I Can Hear the Bells
by TheRottenJas
Summary: Sirius just wanted to get an easy grade in Muggle Studies, but James just had to turn everything into a Lily plan. Friendship-centric.
**A/N:** This is an AU, as I have no idea if James, Sirius, or Peter ever took Muggle Studies. I hope you enjoy it. Also, thank you judges for all the Phan references! I've used two of them. The title is taken from the song 'I Can Hear the Bells' from Hairspray. Read, Review, Favorite. :)

 **Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

 **Team:** Appleby Arrows - Muggle Studies

 **Chaser 2:** Write about someone trying to master (an aspect or the entirety of) the subject.

 **Optional Prompts:** 1\. (word) hangover, 5. "I want to see and understand the world outside." - Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan, 15. "It happened again, what do I do?"

 **Word count:** 1,240

 _ **Thanks WolfWinks for beta'ing!**_

 **Disclaimer:** Nope. Never Have, Never Will.

* * *

 _I Can Hear the Bells_

* * *

"You're such a sap," Sirius Black drawled, mildly amused at James' pathetic display this instant. James' heart filled eyes stared longingly at Lily Evans who was a few tables down . He sighed, throwing his quill at James' thick head to get his attention. Sirius would rather be outside, lazing around in the afternoon sun, as his idea of sitting in the library was far from fun. Unfortunately, their Muggle Studies Professor assigned a group project, the reason why the self-proclaimed Marauders were in the library to begin with. Sirius, of course, avoided the library like it was cursed any other time. "Oi, we have to pick something for our final project. Unlike some love-obsessed people, I want to have good grades."

Remus snorted, casting Sirius a dubious look, as he stopped writing his essay. "That's new."

James smiled sheepishly, rubbing his head where the quill hit him. "Sorry, but I'm finally wearing her down, you know? This morning she didn't hex me, just glared at me. It was marvelous I tell you."

"That's amazing progress," Peter commented sarcastically before returning to his Astronomy chart.

Sirius rolled his eyes, but the corner of his lips twitched. "I just want to get the project over with." His small smile became a grin when Remus pursed his lips in a disapproving fashion. "Which assignment do you think requires no effort?" he asked, setting the Muggle Studies assignment in between the four of them.

"The cooking section" James declared, his eyes misting over with adoration. Sirius could tell by the dreamy look in his eyes that James was gone in another Lily induced fantasy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen something so foolish.

"You're joking. Tell me you're joking." He shared a nervous glance with Remus. " _We_ can't cook."

"Why not?" James huffed, snapping back to reality, and crossing his arms. "If I show Lily that I can cook, maybe it'll lessen her ill opinion of me."

"You mean the opinion you caused? I don't even think you can cook," Sirius challenged, arching a brow, and leaning back in his chair. "I'll agree to it if you can cook."

"How hard could it be? I've heard some people compare it to Potions." James shrugged his shoulders ignoring the way Sirius' jaw dropped open in disbelief.

Remus heaved a sigh, as he put the finishing touches in his History essay. "James, while cooking and Potions have similar concepts, I don't think it'll go as smooth as you imagine."

"I'll take that as a no," Sirius remarked, crossing the section cooking on the paper, despite James' loud protests. "Jamie, I've never cooked in my life, and I know that you haven't either. We're Purebloods for Merlin's sake; we're spoiled. I don't know whether Peter or Remus can cook, but I highly doubt it. How do you expect this to work? Honestly."

"I can cook," Peter added quietly, the other boys turned to look at Peter incredulously. "What? I like food, so I have to know how to make it for myself."

James stared at Peter as if he were an angel while Sirius muttered something that sounded eerily like ' _a pain in the ass'_.

"Cooking it is!"

"Boys, I don't want to kick you out, again," Madam Pince warned loudly from her desk, clucking her tongue.

"Sorry! We won't do it again!" They called simultaneously

"Shhhh! This is a library!"

* * *

Peter did know how to cook, as a quick test turned out to prove. The others, however, did not. This was how the four boys ended up in the kitchens at two in the morning trying to bake a cake on the day the project was due. To say they procrastinated was an understatement.

"Oh, Merlin! It happened again, what do I do?" James shrieked, as the batter of cake he was whisking fell all over his already messy clothing. "Ew, I feel wet and uncomfortable!"

Peter rubbed his head as he observed a clean werewolf, a flour-covered, laughing Sirius, and a sticky James all with identical guilty smiles. He didn't think it would be this hard to teach them. "James, I've told you before not to put too much force into whisking. Sirius, that's not how you open the flour bag, and Remus, _please_ help me."

"I don't know what to do," Remus admitted, glancing at the open cookbook. "Why did we choose a wedding cake?"

"Ask James," Sirius muttered darkly, trying to get the flour out of his hair. "I wanted to choose technology, but nope, we're trying to impress Evans here."

James managed a weak glare, as he began setting up the cake batter for the eighth time. "We have three layers, and I'm making the final one. She's going to be more than impressed, I'm positive."

"She doesn't even take Muggle Studies," Sirius complained, flicking batter in James' direction. "She chose more 'challenging' subjects since she knows all about muggle world already. I want to see and understand the world outside. How will I do that if I only know how to bake a bloody cake when I go outside?"

"Well, actually," Remus began in a matter-of-fact voice, "a wedding cake is pretty complicated. At least, the one we're making is."

"Not helping, Remus," Sirius replied through clenched teeth. He observed their individual cakes before sighing. "Well, Peter's came out perfect, Remus' is good, and James and mine look horrible. I didn't know cooking could be so hard."

Peter smirked, failing to hide his glee. "I told you to practice beforehand, but all you did was avoid the subject whenever I brought it up."

"Stop it, Wormtail. You're starting to sound like Remus. I don't need another mother," James groaned, shaking his head. "Now, how about we put this together?"

The boys grinned as they eyed the frosting mischievously before lunging at it and starting a frosting war that went on for at least half an hour. (That Remus surprisingly won before House Elves, regrettable, interrupted.) Aside from the minor frosting war, the assembling of the wedding cake took at least another two hours.

"Well, the cake isn't completely terrible." Remus frowned, tilting his head to the side. "But no one should ever hire us. Like _ever_."

"I don't know. I kind of like it," Sirius replied, staring hungrily at the cake. His stomach growled quietly. "It looks edible."

"Don't even think about it," James warned, stepping in between the cake and the others. "This is my wedding cake!"

"You're not even dating, let alone engaged," Sirius replied in a tired voice. "I don't know about you, but I'm heading back to the dorm to try to catch some beauty sleep. I don't want to look as if I have a hangover later. My fans will be disappointed."

"You do need it," James joked, but nodded in agreement. "I'm pretty sure we're all tired and need sleep. We'll pick up the cake in the morn _-ah!_ "

He yawned, trying to stay awake.

Sirius nodded off into sleep where he sat, and Remus yawned loudly and dozed off leaning against the counter. Peter had knocked out an hour ago in a corner while the put the finishing touches. James shook his head and feebly tried to move, but he could the lull of exhaustion as he, too, succumbed to sleep in his chair.

The last thing he thought before his brain shut down was:

' _Cooking is such a pain, even if it is for Lily.'_


End file.
